OCR TF2: Stab stab stab!

[Krug]

Every time I played music over the mic it always seems to sound off. Either the gain was too high, quiet parts too quiet, or just overall graininess in sound especially at high volumes. On my side it sounds relatively normal, much like other broadcasts, but right around the time I hear "Oh god turn that shit OFF!!" it's obvious to me that something is wrong.

When I use HLDJ to convert the music I have to adjust the overall volume to anywhere between 15%-40% of the original or else I get more of the above reaction. Plus in TF2 I can't adjust my mic output volume - it always resets to max - so I have to adjust it in Steam.

Probably just a shitty mic but I'm doing the best I can. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Bleck]

your microphone for the most part has nothing to do with how well HLDJ works

what you want to do is use Goldwave to format your music, using this guide

[Krug]

Many thanks! I'm playing with it right now. Will maybe test it out tonight if anyone's on for me to blast their earholes.

[phill]

don't sit there and shit all over the music, calling it "fucking micspam" or other things like that.

Most people who play OCR music seem to be more then willing to stop if more then one person asks nicely. Even if they don't stop, it's not like muting a player is hard so why bitch?

[Kiyobi]

Most people who play OCR music seem to be more then willing to stop if more then one person asks nicely. Even if they don't stop, it's not like muting a player is hard so why bitch?

Nobody seems to get this.

[Bleck]

my music is quiet to the point where if non-admin people tell me to shut it off I am just going to ignore them

but generally I don't hear any complaints so

(in fact I think somebody complained it was too quiet)

[WindStrike]

Had to ban some folks last night, one for obvious reasons (being a complete and total asshole), and another for what may seem less obvious.

I'd like to remind everyone (or in this case, preach to the choir) that OCRTF2 servers are the official servers of the OverClocked ReMix community, which means that if someone is playing remixes over mic (with the permission of the admins), don't sit there and shit all over the music, calling it "fucking micspam" or other things like that. OC ReMix is not just a gaming community; it's a music and gaming community.

Also if you play on the servers and haven't checked out the remixes...check out the remixes, guys. There's a lot of great music here.

Was there someone complaining about it? I dunno, maybe it was when I had TF2 alt-tabbed during certain tracks, but as far as I know, everyone seemed nicely receptive of it.

For the record, I think it'd be cool to have a OCR-only micspam night every week or two. That is, all mixes on OCR, other albums/mixes from the remixers, and official OCR albums. That said, I'll be sure to get at least thirty more for the next time I go on an OCR micspam spree.

[Krug]

An OCR micspam night would be terrific, and a perfect way to promote the music on this site!

[Aeronaut]

Was there someone complaining about it? I dunno, maybe it was when I had TF2 alt-tabbed during certain tracks, but as far as I know, everyone seemed nicely receptive of it.

For the record, I think it'd be cool to have a OCR-only micspam night every week or two. That is, all mixes on OCR, other albums/mixes from the remixers, and official OCR albums. That said, I'll be sure to get at least thirty more for the next time I go on an OCR micspam spree.

One person complained about it, but he was a complete jerk and started spewing insults at the entire server. I'm fairly certain he was kicked/banned shortly thereafter.

Aside from that individual, I don't believe anyone complained. Most were quite content with it. I'd personally love to see (or hear, rather) some kind of OC Remix-micspam night.

[Krug]

So the micspam tests went pretty well tonight. The conversions sound much better using Goldwave. However much like with HLDJ, I had to normalize the volume to much lower levels than the guide recommended. They said the final peak should be between 0.7 and 0.9dB, and that worked for mild parts of music, but anything more intense was just ear rape. I've taken it down to 0.25 to 0.19dB just to make it tolerable and I may have to go lower still. It seems as though something in TF2 is maximizing the micspam volume all over again but none of the in-game settings seem to have any effect. Maybe I'm tweaking the wrong setting in the editor, maybe it's something else, and the fact that I have zero sound editing skills and am basically learning as I go isn't helping. But damn it, I will continue experimenting til I get it right!

[WindStrike]

Effect --> Volume --> Maximize Volume

Change the number down to -20. That's what I set most everything to, though I might go more for -21 or -22 (Metamorphic Rock remix apparently had to get knocked down to -24). Occasionally, I'll set things to -15 if the song is quiet to start with. So yeah, that's how I set the volume on all my songs within 10 seconds each.

[Kenogu Labz]

That's about what I have to do, too. You have to go a sizable ways lower than what most guides tell you to. And even then, some spams have not-so-good balancing, so it'll still hurt to listen to; those take more TLC and tweaking.

And it would be AWESOME to have a ReMix spam night. What if we asked everyone who can to come prepared with a set of mixes? Or we could set up a voting system, where we nominate which one should be played next... This could be fuuun.

[WindStrike]

Oh uhh... I sorta started that a few nights ago myself, though I only went through 10-15 of them, mainly because I didn't have more than that.

I think a music plugin of some sort, whether it be voting or a global radio for the server would be neat if it exists.

[DarkeSword]

Well my point wasn't necessarily about micspam; it was more like if you're playing on OCR's servers, show some respect to OC ReMix by not insulting the site or the music.

[Cecilff2]

my music is quiet to the point where if non-admin people tell me to shut it off I am just going to ignore them

but generally I don't hear any complaints so

(in fact I think somebody complained it was too quiet)

Thats because you play DKR and Banjo Kazooie and other such awesome music.

Server needs more Music of My Groin.

[Powerlord]

I'm going to say right now that I really don't like micspam.

Anyway, what I really came here to post is this:

Updates to Team Fortress 2 have been released. The updates will be applied automatically when your Steam client is restarted. The major changes include:

Team Fortress 2

-Increased the base damage for the Scout's Sun-on-a-Stick, and changed it to always mini-crit against burning targets if the attack is not already critical

-Fixed burning deaths to always use the death notice icon for the weapon that started the burn

-Updated the RIFT pre-order items to be not-tradable until the RIFT pre-order period is over

-Updated the burn effect from the Pyro's Sharpened Volcano Fragment to only last for a limited time on enemies

-Updated the description of the Well Spun Hat claim code item

Servers have been restarted.

[Top Gun]

-Fixed burning deaths to always use the death notice icon for the weapon that started the burn

Awww, no more random Axtinguisher kills.

-Updated the burn effect from the Pyro's Sharpened Volcano Fragment to only last for a limited time on enemies

Heh, I heard that that was screwed up. Something about being able to keep a Heavy on fire for a solid minute before he died.

[ParanoidDrone]

To be more specific, the afterburn from the Sharpened Volcano Fragment didn't go away ever except by death or resupply cabinet. Or so I heard.

[FireSlash]

Just a heads up, I've changed the donation target away from xfactor's crappy clanpay crap... turns out they don't deduct the sum from the monthly bill unless its paid in full, and getting $150 in there isn't likely any time soon.

[Super-Duper Sombrero]

I've been told that the server records and logs demos of gameplay through the Kagami spectator. Is this true? If so, would it be possible to access them in any way?

[ParanoidDrone]

I've been told that the server records and logs demos of gameplay through the Kagami spectator. Is this true? If so, would it be possible to access them in any way?

http://kagami.fireslash.net/demos/ They're sorted oldest to newest IIRC.

This should probably be added to the OP if it isn't already.

[Xerol Oplan]

I'm working on a custom map, can anyone help me out with finding a place to test it?

[Powerlord]

There are apparently a few interesting changes that got added to the Beta version of the game yesterday.

First are two new items:

New Flaregun - The Detonator:

- Alt-fire detonates flare in flight

---- Does a small explosion that catches players on fire

- 20% explosion damage vulnerability

- Flares always crit burning targets, regardless of range.

New Medigun - The Quick-Fix:

- Heal rate increased 50%

- Uber charge rate increased 50%

- Not able to overheal

- Match the speed of any faster heal target

- Uber effect: Megaheal

---- Heal rate increased 3x on heal target

---- Heal target and medic immune to stun and damage forces

Another major change is that they've removed the No Crit attribute on all weapons that have it and replaced it with -25% damage dealt.

Replaced the no-crit attribute with -25% damage on the following:

- The Eyelander

- The Gunslinger

- The Southern Hospitality

- The Powerjack (also added +20% melee vulnerability)

- The Horseless Headless Horseman's Headtaker

- The Ullapool Caber

- The Claidheamohmor

Here are all the other weapon changes:

Vitasaw

- Added the ability to see enemy health

Dalokoh’s

- Removed cooldown

Fists of Steel

- Increase deploy times 20%

- Ranged damage reduced 40% (down from 60%)

Loch-n-Load

- +10% damage

Equalizer

- Tuned high-end damage range so it's no longer possible to one-shot certain classes

- Suppress the medic call effect while active

Madmilk

- Heal 60% of damage done (down from 75%)

Flaregun

- Flares always crit burning targets, regardless of range.

Backburner

- Removed the restriction on airblast

---- Ammo cost increased 150% (4 blasts at full ammo)

- Damage bonus reduced to 10% (from 15%)

Sydney Sleeper

- +25% increased charge rate

And finally general changes:

- Added an option to display healing done over heal targets (hud_combattext_healing)

- Display a value whenever the player does something that earns them a bonus point

- Starting position of values is now affected by range to target, making it easier to see numbers when next to targets

[bark]

There are apparently a few interesting changes that got added to the Beta version of the game yesterday.

Changes Snipped,

Loch-n-Load

- +10% damage

Most of the changes sound pretty neat, and the new weapons sound kinda cool, but someone at valve really loves demomen.

[Powerlord]

I just realized, I forgot one change in that list:

Powerjack:

- +20% melee vulnerability

That's in addition to its -25% damage from the no crit change.

The Powerjack's usefulness just went way down... particuarly since the entire Pyro set lets you run faster, but you now take both more explosive and more melee damage.